Acquaintance
by FeatherRose242
Summary: The panther was proud, and the lion was reckless. With these factors, their fate was inevitable. After all, the game is only won if one's goal is achieved.
1. Friends, Enemies, and Acquaintances

_Ah, I move so quickly from fandom to fandom! First Naruto, then Bleach, Kuroshitsuji, Shingeki no Kyojin, and now Durarara! I still remember when the only manga I read was Naruto! _ _

_Now, about **Acquaintance. **I got the idea for this story from an excerpt of a doujinshi that I saw on Google Images, and I thought it was sweet. In the doujinshi, Izaya and Shizuo were lying on the ground next to each other and covered in blood. Their hands were touching, and Izaya said, "Hello. I'm Orihara Izaya. Pleased to make your acquaintance." I haven't decided on the updating pattern for this story yet, but I'm leaning towards once every two weeks on Sunday. I have two other stories that I'm working on at the same time, and I want to find a pattern that will be accommodating and comfortable._

_The beginning of this chapter may be a little confusing and slow, but you don't really have to read the beginning. Just make sure that you understand the part about panthers and lions, and be sure to read the ending. That's the most important stuff._

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**[Acquaintance]**

_Chapter 1: Friends, Enemies, and Acquaintances_

There are three basic labels for everyone that you meet. They can be best friends, worst enemies, or mere acquaintances. And out of those three, only one benefits you more than others.

The worst enemies are definitely not it. They appear as monsters from Hell with sharp horns protruding from their heads and scarlet flames flaring from their mouths. Like demons, they seek to cause pain. Their greatest wish is to plant seeds of suspicion, incite storms of betrayal, and encourage the most poisonous animosity. Their sadistic nature allows them to laugh at others' pain without qualms and gives them an endless desire to cause chaos. There is absolutely no way to get along with them, no matter what negotiations or bribes you offer.

All enemies give more pain than happiness. While one person is tearing his hair out from frustration, his worst enemy is rolling on the floor, laughing to death. But that one laugh is far from enough. The enemy would do anything–_anything–_to make someone else suffer for the rest of his life. Enemies will go to extreme measures to ensure lifelong grief. The most one can glean from this kind of relationship is good reflexes in exchange for frustration and stress. This trade is definitely not a fair one.

Best friends are the ones who would be willing to do almost anything for someone. They're the people who offer to go kill your ex after a break-up and the ones who buy you things when you don't have any money. Since they know practically everything about you, you can always count on them to lift you up and help you overcome your problems.

However, the fact that they know almost everything about you also makes them very dangerous. Arguments and petty quarrels are inevitable between two people, and people have the annoying habit of exaggerating things that are already dramatic. There is always a possibility of betrayal, even from your best friend, and if it is the best friend that betrays you, then you have found yourself with a formidable enemy. An enemy that knows almost everything about you: your strengths, your weaknesses, your likes, and your dislikes. Best friends hold the potential to be even more dangerous than worst enemies.

This leaves the acquaintances. Acquaintances generally know the name, age, ethnicity, and occupation of someone. They may also be aware of a few likes or dislikes, but not enough to write a biography. They treat you more politely than the other two groups and often give the most sensible ideas, making them the people to have the most beneficial relationship with.

No relationship can ever be clearly in one group. There can be a blend between two groups, such as best friend and worst enemy or acquaintance and worst enemy. However, relationships usually start off in one of the three categories. Take lions and panthers, for example.

In the wild, panthers and lions are enemies. Lions will attack without hesitation if a panther intrudes on their territory. Therefore, panthers learn to climb trees when they're young to avoid being attacked by lions. But remember, this only happens about ninety percent of the time. There is one specific lion and one specific panther who began their relationship differently.

Unlike their relatives, this panther and this lion didn't start off as worst enemies. When they first met, they were somewhat wary of each other. They carefully tested each other's boundaries and cautiously prodded each other's personal space.

After they got used to each other's presence, they didn't immediately become best friends. Any relationship that starts off too quickly tends to end in disaster. Instead, the panther and the lion merely acknowledged that they needed each other. The lion's immense strength proved useful to the panther, and the panther's elusiveness was helpful to the lion. To put it safely, they were acquaintances.

The day they met had been a depressing one. Thick, dark clouds bunched together in the sky above the city of Ikebukuro. Low peals of thunder rumbled in the distance, and the downpour that followed drowned everything in water in a matter of minutes. Yet, the lion didn't move from his place on the wooden bench where he sat with his head bowed.

Peace and quiet. Heiwajima Shizuo.

Unfortunately, Shizuo didn't–_couldn't–_live up to his name. He was angered easily, and when in a rage, he would forget himself and end up using violence. Throw in Shizuo's immense strength, and he was a force to be reckoned with, even for the most skilled fighters.

People tend to be afraid of things that they consider abnormal. Shizuo's strength wasn't something that was found in many places. Thus, the general population feared him and avoided him, taking measures to stay away unless they absolutely needed to talk to him.

However, there were a few brave people who stuck in Shizuo's company. There was, of course, Shizuo's younger brother Kasuka. The first time Shizuo had displayed his ability was when he tried to hit Kasuka with a refrigerator because the younger had eaten Shizuo's pudding. Luckily for Kasuka, Shizuo had been crushed under the refrigerator's weight before he could throw the object.

Another person was a research-obsessed boy called Kishitani Shinra. Since elementary school, Shinra had been fascinated by Shizuo's strength and had requested numerous times to be given permission to experiment on the blond, who always refused. However, that didn't deter Shinra, who continued to remain by Shizuo's side and badger him with scientific questions.

When Shizuo was in high school, Shinra introduced him to the legendary Black Rider of Ikebukuro, Celty Sturluson. Celty had already heard about Shizuo's special ability from Shinra and had been rather eager to meet the virago. Shizuo found it easy to talk to Celty since she didn't anger him as often as other people.

Aside from those three, no one else seemed to enjoy being in Shizuo's company. In fact, they ran whenever Shizuo was in a bad mood. Just earlier that day, Shizuo had lost control again and had overturned several parked cars, effectively frightening away an entire street of people. After he had calmed down, he found a place where he could be alone with his thoughts and hid himself there. He stayed there for hours, not moving even when the rain came.

The steady drumming of the rain calmed the frayed nerves of the mighty lion, and Shizuo found himself relaxing as he listened with closed eyes. He was alone, completely alone. Until the panther came slinking from the shadows.

"Hello."

Shizuo's head snapped up. His drenched yellow hair was plastered to his forehead, covering his brown eyes. He pushed his hair aside and found himself looking up into a pair of scarlet eyes that glowed at him from the middle of a pale face that was framed with black hair.

As Shizuo stared, the stranger bent down and extended a hand. Raindrops splashed on the smooth skin, making the hand slippery with water within seconds. Yet, the stranger continued to smile, and the hand continued to hover in front of Shizuo's face. Then he spoke the words that would etch themselves permanently into Shizuo's memory.

"I'm Orihara Izaya. Pleased to make your acquaintance."


	2. The Informant

_Chapter 2 takes place several years after Chapter 1, so there will be some things that seem to contradict the things in Chapter 1. However, everything will be made clear in due time, so please be patient._

_I also kind of want to turn this into a manga on deviantart, but I don't know how to draw manga using GIMP or Paint. If any of you know, I would be grateful for the advice! ^_^_

_Thanks to those who followed/favorited/reviewed this story!  
_

_~FR242_

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**[Acquaintance]**

_Chapter 2: The Informant_

"Well, Fujimoto-san, what can I do for you today?"

The aging man who sat rigidly on the black couch took another sip of hot tea and placed the cup on the table with shaky hands. He ran his fingers through his sleek hair and turned to the smirking informant who sat behind a desk.

"Orihara-san, my son ran away from home about two days ago and hasn't made any contact with me or my wife. We are terribly worried, and you were recommended as the person who could offer the most help to us. Please, find our son." Fujimoto looked at the other hopefully.

Orihara Izaya hummed in acknowledgement and turned to his computers. "What's your son's name?"

"Fujimoto Akira. Thank you so much, Orihara-san."

Izaya's smirk widened by a fraction as his fingers flew across the keyboards. _Don't thank me yet, old man. _He opened and closed tabs, logged on and off to several sites, and entered many search words. In a record-breaking minute and ten seconds, the informant had found what he was looking for.

"Well, Fujimoto-san, it looks like your son at this hotel in Ikebukuro." Izaya ripped a post-it note from a notepad, grabbed a pen, and scribbled down the address. "You can find him here."

Fujimoto took the note gratefully. "Thank you so much!" He handed over a wad of bills. "Here's the payment." Still thanking Izaya earnestly, the man bowed a couple of times and hurried out of Izaya's office, no doubt going to pick up his wife and go find his son.

Once the door to the room was shut, Izaya let out the puff of laughter that he had been holding in. Skipping to the door, Izaya grabbed his fur coat and slipped it on. He took his switchblade out of his pocket and slipped it up his sleeve. If he was going to Ikebukuro, he would most likely need the weapon.

He skipped out of his office building and headed towards the address he had given to Fujimoto. He wasn't going just to watch Fujimoto; he had some other business in Ikebukuro today, too.

Izaya had researched the car that Fujimoto owned a couple days ago, and he recognized it when he arrived at the hotel where Fujimoto Akira was staying. Elated that his quarry had got here before him, Izaya hid himself in a shadowy alley and waited for Fujimoto and his wife to leave the building. He didn't have to wait long; Fujimoto and his wife appeared at the front door about three minutes later.

As Fujimoto and his wife approached, Izaya stepped out from his hiding place, showing himself to the dejected couple in front of him. The pair stopped dead in front of the hotel, shocked by the sudden appearance of the informant.

"You know, Fujimoto-san." Izaya casually strolled up to the surprised man. "If your son ran away and hasn't contacted you since, it probably means that he doesn't wish to talk to you."

"You!" Fujimoto jabbed a trembling finger at Izaya. "What are you doing here? Did you follow me?"

"Why, I just came for a stroll and happened to pass by." Izaya smirked and twirled around the man. "I didn't follow you because you went home to pick up your lovely wife first, didn't you? I came straight here."

"Keep your nose out of our affairs, outsider!" Fujimoto's wife clung to his arm, glaring at Izaya the entire time. "We paid you to track down Akira, not to come here and meddle with things that are none of your concern!"

Izaya put on a falsely wounded look and wrapped his arms around himself. "Oh, my. Is that how you pressured your son into running away from home?"

Fujimoto's wife let out a choked cry of outrage while Fujimoto himself looked as though someone had slapped him in the face. Izaya felt a wave of satisfaction as his inference had been proved correct, but then again, he rarely guessed wrong.

"What makes you say that?" Fujimoto sounded strangled as he rested a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder.

"Well, when I was tracking down your son, I happened to come across his records from school. I must say that he's quite a responsible kid, seeing as he was close to the top of his class while participating in several clubs and school activities. There's been no sign of the teachers needing to use disciplinary actions against him, either." Izaya tucked his hands into his coat pockets and stared at Fujimoto through half-lidded eyes. "Unless Akira-kun has good reason to, he wouldn't just take off and sever all contact with you."

Suddenly, Fujimoto's wife ran forward and swung her hand at Izaya's face. The informant nimbly dodged the assault and leapt to one side. The woman stumbled on her high heels, and Fujimoto quickly moved to catch his wife before she fell.

"Bastard!" Fujimoto's wife glared at Izaya as the informant danced away.

Fujimoto was still rather calm. "Orihara-san, why are you doing this to us? What have we ever done to you?"

Izaya laughed humorlessly. "I just love humans, Fujimoto-san." He started backing away from the couple. "You should probably stop pressuring your son for a bit. Let him do what he wants. Then, he might be more inclined to go back to you." With that, the informant whipped around and disappeared into the crowd.

Enough with the Fujimoto family. Time to get down to the real business.

Taking a familiar path to the emptier part of Ikebukuro, Izaya strolled down the road with his hands tucked into the pockets of his fur-lined jacket. Humming, he quickly reviewed the information he had gathered for a very important and very old client of his.

Finally, Izaya arrived at a quiet and practically deserted road with the exception of a black car with tinted windows parked on the side of the street. Glancing around indifferently, Izaya made his way to the vehicle, grabbed the door handle to the backseat, and pulled the door open. Swiftly and smoothly, he got in and shut the door behind him.

"As punctual as always, Orihara-kun." The other person in the backseat took out a lighter and lit a cigarette. The smell of tobacco smoke filled the car as the man took a drag and breathed out.

Izaya gave a wry smile. "I figured you be impatient for the information, Shiki-san."

Shiki let out a huff of air. "The information is very valuable." He offered a cigarette to Izaya, who refused with a grin and a wave of his hand. "Speaking of the information, Orihara-kun, are you sure it's safe for you to be frolicking around Ikebukuro so openly?"

Izaya sighed. "I've been thinking that it's time I made some kind of retaliation to their threats, but I need to draw them out first. Or perhaps they've forgotten about me. It's been a few years."

"You and I both know that them forgetting about you is just wishful thinking." Shiki took another puff from his cigarette, and Izaya had to resist the urge to roll down a window to dissipate the smell of smoke. "They aren't the type to give up. As an expert informant, you pose a serious threat to them, and they would do anything to get their hands on your blood. Even if it means threatening those you care about."

"I know that." The words came out as a low hiss, and the men fell silent for a brief moment. After a long moment, Shiki sighed and threw out his cigarette.

"What information did you manage to glean this time, Orihara-kun?"

The smirk instantly returned to Izaya's face. "Information that you'll find useful. You'll be getting rid of a few enemies tonight."

"Oh?" Shiki raised a thin eyebrow. "Do tell."

"Eleven thirty tonight." Izaya looked in the rearview mirror, watching his scarlet eyes narrow. "Two members of the Sparrows will be meeting at Ikebukuro's oldest bridge to discuss scouting routes. They won't be talking for very long, so don't waste any time waffling around or you'll lose your chance to catch them."

Shiki nodded. "Got it. Anything else?"

Izaya's smirk stretched wider. "Have fun."

Shiki snorted and gestured for the man in the passenger seat. Obediently, the thug reached down and picked up a black leather bag. He handed it to Shiki, who took it and opened it up to show the wads of money stuffed inside. The yakuza boss took out a few wads, which was easily a couple thousand dollars, and handed it to Izaya.

"Oh, wow, Shiki-san!" Izaya's eyes widened in surprise. "This is a large payment for such a small amount of information."

"It took years to get that small amount of information, and the information happens to be the best news I've heard in a while." Shiki passed the bag back to his subordinate. "You've been a big help this time around, Orihara-kun."

"Aren't I always a big help?" Izaya joked as he accepted the money and put it into his pocket. He gripped the door handle, ready to take his leave. "Feel free to contact me when you need information again."

"Will do." Shiki nodded and pulled out another, lighting it and inhaling the smoke. "Take care, Orihara-kun, especially now that you've shown your face in Ikebukuro again."

"Your concern is appreciated." Izaya pushed the door open and stepped out. He was about to close the door when Shiki spoke again.

"Does he still hate you?"

Izaya's demeanor slipped for a fraction of a second, but he quickly recovered and put another smile on his face.

"It's better this way."

The informant slammed the door and stalked away, barely noticing as the car rumbled to life and sped away. He shoved his hands into his jacket pockets and started walking back to his office in Shinjuku, not particularly caring that he could be seen by his enemies. He wanted to draw them out anyway. It was very difficult to extract information on them unless they made some moves that allowed Izaya to predict their movements. To Izaya's chagrin, this was one game where he would have to give up the first move, and extra caution would be wise. Right now, he could only hope that Shiki and his gang would be able to capture the two Sparrows.

Suddenly, a very familiar voice jolted Izaya out of his musing.

"I–za–ya–kun!"

A garbage can came flying at the informant from the right and slammed into Izaya, knocking the man clean off his feet. With a pained grunt, Izaya landed on the asphalt and lay still, momentarily winded. His left shoulder throbbed from hitting the ground, and his left hand stung as well from where it scraped against the road.

Ignoring the pain, Izaya scrambled to his feet and slid his switchblade out from his sleeve, gripping it tightly in his hand as he turned to face his assailant.

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**Ana (Guest): Thank you.**

**PiTOF (Guest): Really? What's the doujinshi called? I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!**


	3. Welcome Back

_There's a lot of chat dialogue in this chapter. If the line is just_ **bold, **_then it's in the regular chat with the entire group. If it's **bolded and italicized, **then it's a private message between two people. Just so you know~!  
__Thanks to those reviewed/favorited/followed!_

_~FR242_

* * *

**[Acquaintance]**

_Chapter 3: Welcome Back_

"I–za–ya–kun!" The informant's assailant took a few menacing steps forward, making Izaya take a step back, switchblade still held high.

"Shizu-chan." Izaya's mouth twitched into a crooked smile. The special smile that always seemed to infuriate the taller man standing across from him right now. "As violent as ever, I see."

"Don't call me that!" Heiwajima Shizuo growled low in his throat as he took off his blue sunglasses and tucked them into his bartender jacket. "I have a name, and it's Heiwajima Shizuo! What the hell are you doing back in Ikebukuro anyway?"

Izaya sneered as Shizuo lifted a vending machine with ease and hurled it at the informant. The shorter male dodged the heavy object and was nearly smacked in the face by a stop sign that the other uprooted. Luckily, Izaya had fast reflexes, and he ducked, feeling the sign graze the tips of his hair by a millimeter.

"You really should try to control your temper, Shizu-chan." Izaya straightened up, still wearing a smirk on his face. Shizuo had already ripped up another stop sign and was swinging it around. Izaya readied himself to dodge the inevitable blow. "Who knows when you might hurt someone you care about?"

"You would know, flea!" With a roar, Shizuo swung the sign at Izaya's torso, forcing the informant to step back to avoid it.

"I'm afraid I'll have to deny that, Shizu-chan." Izaya's smirk turned cruel. "I never cared about you."

The stop sign came spinning around again with greater force than last time. Like always, Izaya evaded it with ease.

By now, most people that had been walking on that street had retreated and were watching Izaya and Shizuo fight from a safe distance away. There were many kinds of emotions in the spectators' eyes: fear from a young woman with long black hair, annoyance from a blond high school student, and interest from a short, red-haired person who watched the two from a nearby coffee shop.

Izaya and Shizuo were both accustomed to these stares and expertly ignored them. As Shizuo swung the sign around for a third time, Izaya turned and dashed away, leaping over benches and dodging around cars. Shizuo pursued him, lifting the stop sign high above his head and roaring like an enraged lion.

A shadow fell on top of Izaya, and the informant swerved out of the way just in time for the stop sign to come crashing down on the ground, leaving a fissure where it struck. As Izaya continued to run, he heard the crunching sound of Shizuo uprooting some other street object to throw. Soon, a vending machine went flying over his head, shortly followed by another street sign that whizzed past and embedded itself in the ground in front of Izaya.

Izaya quickly swerved to avoid the sign and skidded to a halt as a car sailed past his face, missing his nose by a few inches. A swift glance behind him told him that Shizuo was steadily catching up, and Izaya couldn't allow Shizuo to catch him. It wouldn't be very pretty.

Izaya leaped over a stone bench and ducked into an alleyway. Without breaking his stride, he scrambled up a wall and rolled onto the roof of the building, staying low to hide himself from Shizuo's view. He heard the taller man's footsteps stomp into the alley. The angry gnashing sound of the blond's teeth reached Izaya's ears, and the informant braced himself for the enraged cry that followed soon after.

"I–za–ya–!"

Every single one of their fights ended this way. Even after several years of not seeing the other man, Izaya remembered clearly how a major portion of their fights would start and how all of them would end. After yelling his lungs out because Izaya escaped, Shizuo would punch something with a tremendous amount of strength and then go back to whatever he was doing.

Sure enough, there was a loud _crack, _signaling that Shizuo had slammed his fist into a wall or something like that. There was a scuffing sound as the blond turned and left, no doubt heading back to his boss to apologize and continue his job.

Izaya waited a few more moments before he carefully got up. Shizuo was nowhere in sight, but the informant decided that it would be easier to get home if he traveled on roofs. With his parkour skills, staying off the ground wasn't very difficult to do.

As he neared the subway station, Izaya allowed his feet to touch the ground again. He knew that Shizuo rarely used the subway, so he chose it as his method of transportation between Shinjuku and Ikebukuro. Yes, the subway was crowded, and truthfully, it was always crowded. Japan was just like this. Izaya didn't particularly mind, however. He found it a great opportunity to observe the humans that he claimed to love. Except for Heiwajima Shizuo.

But then again, Izaya pondered to himself as the subway began to move, did he ever consider Shizuo human? Perhaps he did, a long time ago in the past. Now, he couldn't recall a recent time when he referred to Shizuo as a person. In fact, he doubted that there were more than five people who thought of Shizuo as a human.

Wait. Why was he even thinking about this? Izaya exited from the subway and walked to his office. He unlocked the door and immediately headed for his desk. What he thought of Shizuo may have mattered several years ago, but now, it held little importance. The informant needed to focus on his mission at hand, and couldn't afford to think of the man whom he undoubtedly had a different relationship with many years ago.

With a sigh, Izaya shrugged off his fur coat and hung it up before plopping himself down in his chair, letting it make one full rotation before pulling himself toward his work desk and logging on to a chat room that he frequently visited.

–**Kanra has logged on–**

Izaya scanned over the messages of his fellow chat members, chuckling at some of the things they said. At last, he placed his hands on his keyboard and began typing.

**Kanra: Hello, everyone~!**

Soon, messages from the others began popping up.

**Tanaka Tarou: Ah, hello, Kanra-san.**

**Setton: Hello.**

**Kanra: Ne, ne. Did you guys see Orihara Izaya and Heiwajima Shizuo fighting again earlier? It was scary, wasn't it?**

**Tanaka Tarou: Eh? Well…I didn't see it but I heard a loud commotion a few blocks away from where I was. I guessed that Heiwajima-san was in a rage again.**

**Setton: The day Izaya and Shizuo don't fight is the day the world will end.**

Izaya threw his head back and let out a great 'ha' of laughter. Frankly, he couldn't imagine a day where he and Shizuo would stop fighting either, but it was still amusing to hear it coming from others.

**Kanra: I agree with you, Setton!**

**Tanaka Tarou: So, what's been going on with you guys?**

**Kanra: Oh, nothing much. Work, take a walk, watch Orihara and Heiwajima fight… ^3^**

**Setton: Work. Nothing new, really. How about you, Tanaka Tarou?**

**Tanaka Tarou: Ah, there's nothing new going on with me either. It can be boring sometimes…**

–**Red Rook has logged on–**

Izaya sat up straight. Who was this Red Rook person? A new member of their little chat group? Either Tanaka Tarou or Setton had invited Red Rook because Izaya had no recollection of sending an invitation to this person. In fact, this was the first time he had ever heard of such a pen name. His hands moved to the keyboard, ready to type a message, but Red Rook beat him to it.

**Red Rook: Setton.**

**Setton: Ah, Rook-san. You got the chat to work?**

So it was Setton, or Celty, who had invited Red Rook. Izaya was interested and quickly entered a message.

**Kanra: Oh, fresh meat? Hello, Red Rook-san!**

**Red Rook: I just didn't feel like logging on until recently, Setton. And yes, I am rather new.**

Izaya smirked. He turned on his second computer with the intention of tracking down this Red Rook and finding out who he or she is. As he typed away on his other computer, Setton and Tanaka Tarou continued to make conversation with Red Rook.

**Tanaka Tarou: Welcome to the chat, Rook-san.**

**Setton: Glad to see that you're back in the world of the living.**

**Red Rook: I never died, Setton.**

Izaya let out a puff of laughter. Red Rook had a strange sense of humor, which was good. He couldn't bear having to deal with uptight and serious people all the time.

**Kanra: Hahahahaha! That was a good one, Rook-san! ^_^**

**Red Rook: Your comment is appreciated.**

**Setton: I didn't mean that literally.**

**Red Rook: I know.**

Izaya took a moment to set up a private chat with Celty. He needed some information.

_**Kanra: Celty, you invited Rook-san to this chat, right?**_

_**Setton: So what if I did?**_

_**Kanra: How did you meet Red Rook?**_

_**Setton: Are you trying to plan something, Izaya? Don't you ever get tired of manipulating the humans you claim to love?**_

Getting information from Celty was proving harder than Izaya would have liked. Luckily, Tanaka Tarou was unintentionally keeping Red Rook distracted, so neither of them would immediately notice his and Celty's absence.

_**Kanra: Aww, Celty. That hurts, you know. I don't spend every second of my life coming up with brilliant schemes…**_

_**Setton: Then why do you want to know how Red Rook and I met?**_

Izaya paused. Perhaps telling Celty the reason wouldn't do much to harm his goals. He really wasn't going to plan anything. Yet.

_**Kanra: I'm curious as to who he or she really is. Don't tell me you're not curious, too.**_

_**Setton: Why don't you just track and hack Rook's account? It's what you did to me and Tanaka Tarou.**_

_**Kanra: Well, the more information I have on my target, the easier it is to catch him. Come on, Celtyyyy~!**_

_**Setton: …..I met Red Rook on this chat website several years ago. He chatted me first, asking about how the chat system worked. I helped him out, and we talked many times after that. Then, he just disappeared one day and I only just heard from him again a couple days ago.**_

_**Kanra: So Red Rook's a guy?**_

_**Setton: I don't know. I've never asked.**_

_**Kanra: Okay, okay.**_

Izaya got out of his private messaging with Celty to see that Tanaka Tarou and Red Rook were still chatting away. Well, Tanaka Tarou was actually doing most of the talking while Red Rook added the occasional comment. As their conversation came to a pause, Izaya tapped a quick question and entered it into the chat.

**Kanra: Ne, Rook-san. Are you male?**

**Red Rook: Are you?**

**Kanra: Nope. 3**

**Setton: Kanra, why are you being so creepy all of a sudden?**

**Red Rook: I thought not. But yes, I am male.**

**Kanra: Ah~, Rook-san might be a predator, coming onto this chat to find some little girls to prey on~ O_O**

**Red Rook: …**

**Setton: Rook-san, I'm sorry. Kanra is a little crazy sometimes.**

**Tanaka Tarou: Oh my God, Kanra-san…**

Izaya couldn't help but snicker at the reactions of the other three, even if they were rather predictable.

**Kanra: Hahahaha…Yes, I was just playing around. But Rook-san, you aren't really a predator, are you?**

**Setton: Kanra!**

**Red Rook: It depends on how you define predator.**

**Kanra: Ooooh, good answer! Oh dear, look at the time. I'm afraid I must go now. Work to do, places to be…Ja ne!**

**Setton: Bye.**

**Tanaka Tarou: Talk to you later, Kanra-san.**

**Red Rook: See you.**

As Izaya was about to log off, his computer let out another _ping, _signaling that another message had come in through the chat. A private message that made him pause and read it over and over until the message was embedded into his mind.

_**Red Rook: Welcome back to Ikebukuro, Orihara Izaya.**_

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**Ana: Thanks.**

**LostFairyMantic: Thank you, and I hope you continue to support me throughout the story! ^_^**


	4. Sparrow in a Net

_Since I will be busy tomorrow, I decided to post this chapter today since I'm finished and I don't feel like waiting until June 8__th__ to post.  
Thanks to those who followed/favorite/reviewed~!_

_~FR242_

* * *

**[Acquaintance]**

_Chapter 4: Sparrow in a Net_

A satisfied smirk spread across Izaya's face as he watched the green circle next to Red Rook's name disappear, signaling that the person had logged off. He knew it. There was no doubt in his mind.

Red Rook belonged to the enemy, and he had unknowingly done exactly what Izaya wanted. The first move of the chess game had been made, and so far, it seemed to be in Izaya's favor.

Red Rook had been in contact with Celty before, so Izaya reopened his private chat with the Dullahan and began his dig for information.

_**Kanra: Ne, Celty. Do you know anything about Rook-san?**_

_**Setton: What do you mean?**_

_**Kanra: Have you two ever talked about your personal lives?**_

_**Setton: Izaya, you have to stop messing with people. No wonder everyone hates you. Especially Shizuo.**_

Izaya winced. That was a low blow, even for Celty. But he could forgive her, especially since he never told anyone except Shiki about his reasons for disappearing from Ikebukuro for the past six years.

_**Kanra: I'm not trying to mess with Rook-san, Celty. That was really mean of you… T^T**_

_**Setton: How can you expect me to believe that when every person you talk to seem to become broken and ruined?**_

_**Kanra: I only mess with the people who deserve it.**_

_**Setton: So Shizuo did something to deserve being falsely accused of a crime? And why does Red Rook deserve your wrath?**_

Izaya paused, fingers hovering over his keyboard. Should he tell Celty? After seven years of dealing with the problem on his own, it would be nice to have someone else know about it. However, Izaya's pride refused to let him tell the Dullahan.

_**Kanra: Like I said, I'm not going to mess with Rook-san. I'm just interested to know who he is.**_

_**Setton: Even if that's the truth, I'm afraid I can't help. Rook-san and I never talked much about our personal lives.**_

Izaya was disappointed. Right now, he still had practically nothing to help him break out Red Rook's identity. But that's fine. He preferred a challenge anyway.

_**Kanra: I see. Well, if you find anything, letting me know would still be appreciated! ^3^**_

With that, Izaya logged off the chat and switched his attention to his other computer. He opened up a new window and began his tracking mission, using the information he already had to find ways to burrow into anything that he thought might be related to Red Rook.

Hours later, when Izaya finally turned away from the computer, he wasn't much closer to finding out the identity of Red Rook. He had tracked the pen name to a blocked road, and he couldn't get any farther. There was some kind of software protecting Red Rook's files. Breaking through the barrier would take a long time, seeing as Izaya had never come across it before now.

Meanwhile, he would notify Shiki of this new discovery and see what the yakuza leader could do. Hopefully, the man would be able to get his gang together and hunt Red Rook down after they took care of their business tonight. Speaking of their business, it was getting close to the targets' time of meeting. Izaya wanted to witness the capture firsthand, so he slipped on his fur-lined jacket and left for the bridge.

When Izaya arrived, he could see Shiki's car parked in a shadowy alley. The man was obviously already here with members of his gang, ready to trap the Sparrows in a net. Hopefully, they wouldn't mistake Izaya for a Sparrow and try to attack him.

"Hey, Orihara-kun!"

A red-haired man beckoned to Izaya from the shadows. A scar ran over one of his eyes, giving the man an intimidating look. However, Izaya wasn't fazed. Instead, he strolled forward with a wide smirk on his face.

"Well, if it isn't Akabayashi! Is Shiki-san here?"

Akabayashi grinned. "Yeah, and he was expecting you to show up. Otherwise, you would have been shot already."

"That's a relief." Izaya fiddled with the switchblade that was in his pocket. "How long have you been here?"

"A few hours. The two Sparrows should be here in a few minutes." Akabayashi looked at his watch. "How did you manage to find this information anyway? We've been looking for several years and haven't ever gotten this close."

Izaya hummed thoughtfully. "Just a bit of luck on my side and carelessness from my targets."

Akabayashi nodded and the two men lapsed into silence, waiting tensely for the targets to appear.

Just as the clock flashed half past eleven, the first Sparrow appeared. The man cautiously made his way onto the bridge, where he was shortly joined by the second Sparrow. Izaya watched from his hiding place as the two men conversed, no doubt passing news to each other.

Suddenly, one of the Sparrows jolted and collapsed. Yakuza members began pouring out from various hiding places, converging on the target that was still standing. Akabayashi also dashed out from his place next to Izaya, but Izaya stayed behind, watching as the second Sparrow fled the scene with his pursuers hot on his heels. Just as it looked as though the fleeing Sparrow was going to be caught, a loud bang went off and the lead pursuer dropped to the ground, tripping up the ones behind him. The Sparrow turned a corner and disappeared from view.

Izaya leaped out from where he hid and stalked his way over to where the second Sparrow had vanished. Silently, he crept to the corner and peered around it. The Sparrow was nowhere to be seen, but at least Shiki's group had caught the other one.

With a last glance around, Izaya turned and made his way back to where the captured man was being tied up. The man's leg had been bandaged, but blood from the bullet wound stained the piece of cloth wrapped around it. Shiki was giving orders for men to wash the blood out of the street.

"The second one got away." Izaya stepped up to the yakuza leader. Shiki grunted.

"That's unfortunate." The two men watched as the captive was bundled into Shiki's car. "No doubt the escaped one will alert his boss, and we'll have to be more careful when walking the streets."

"It doesn't matter." Izaya sighed. "I'm pretty sure they already know anyway."

"Explain."

Izaya recounted his chat with Red Rook, explaining how the person had sent him a message welcoming him back to Ikebukuro and how he had been unable to discover Red Rook's true identity.

Shiki frowned. "We can try to track this Red Rook, but I doubt we'll have much luck if you couldn't even track him down."

"You have another source of information now." Izaya nodded to the unconscious Sparrow who was slumped in Shiki's car. "Interrogate him for answers."

Shiki nodded. "It didn't go too badly. Only lost one man tonight." He and Izaya turned their gazes to the body of the gang member who had been shot down by the Sparrow who got away.

"Could have been a lot worse, boss!" Akabayashi lifted the corpse over a shoulder. "None of us knew that that Sparrow was carrying a weapon, and he could have killed a lot more."

Shiki gave another grunt of acknowledgement. "Did you know that he would be carrying a weapon, Orihara-kun?"

Izaya shrugged. "I honestly thought that you would have prepared for something like this, so I didn't bother mentioning it."

"You have a point." Shiki walked to his car, where a yakuza member held the door open for him. "We will be departing now. The sooner we get information out of our guest and find Red Rook, the better off we'll be." He looked at Izaya. "Want a ride?"

"That would be appreciated." Izaya followed Shiki into the car. The gang member shut the door behind him, and the driver started the engine. The car rumbled to life and rolled away from where it was parked.

The driver dropped Izaya off in front of the informant's apartment. Izaya exited the vehicle, promising Shiki that he would keep in touch. He watched as the car disappeared around the corner before walking back to his room.

At around the same time, the escaped Sparrow dashed through an open doorway in an underground maze and slammed the door shut behind him, his breathing harsh and labored. He stood there for a moment with his back against the door, catching his breath after running nonstop from the bridge.

After he regained his breath, the man stayed in his position for a while longer, staring down the dark hallway that lay before him. Without warning, he began to laugh.

The laughter wasn't very loud. Anyone passing by could have easily mistaken it for a coughing fit. The sound echoed down the long corridor, and the man continued to snicker as he stepped forward, his white jacket glowing ominously in the feeble light of torches that lit the way.

"What's so amusing?"

The sharp inquiry came from a person who stood against the wall about halfway down the hall. The Sparrow stopped dead, a grin spreading across his face as the other's green eyes bore into his mahogany ones.

"Ah, if it isn't the Cobra!" The Sparrow spread his arms in a welcoming gesture. "I'm honored that you find it worth your time to welcome me back. May I have a hug as well?"

The Cobra merely gave him an apathetic glare before turning around and stalking away. "The boss is waiting. He wants a game of cards." With that, the Cobra vanished into the darkness.

The Sparrow sighed disappointedly and followed his companion. His black boots made tapping noises that resounded off the walls around him and mingled with the clacking sounds of the Cobra's black knee-high boots.

As the duo passed through a doorway to a room that looked like a lounge, a voice came from the back of the room.

"Welcome back, Sparrow leader."

A lanky man with dyed silver hair smirked at the Sparrow and the Cobra. The Sparrow gave a little bow.

"Thank you, sir."

The silver-haired man gestured to the coffee table before him. "Have a seat, and we'll get our card game under way."

As the Sparrow and the Cobra sat down, a tall dark-skinned man with a pair of black sunglasses and broad shoulders stepped from the perimeter of the room. Heavy muscle rippled underneath his dark top, showing off the man's strength. He sat between the Cobra and the silver-haired man, and the latter greeted him with a casual pat on the arm.

"Now that everyone's here, let us commence. I believe it is the Tiger leader's turn to go first."

The dark-skinned man picked up the cards that lay face down on the table in front of him and scanned his choices. After a few moments of contemplation, he slid a card out and placed it in the center of the table. A two of spades.

The silver-haired man went next, sliding a two of diamonds on top of the Tiger's card. He smiled calmly and turned his gaze to the Sparrow, who was already looking through his hand for a card to play. After a few moments, he finally decided on one and dropped it onto the center pile.

A two of clubs.

As the Cobra glanced through the cards in her hands, the silver-haired boss turned to the Sparrow. "I believe you have a report to make."

There was a smacking sound as the Cobra slapped the three of diamonds and the three of hearts on top of the pile. Despite the dim light in the room, the red on the cards seemed to glare at the four players as the Cobra sat back in her chair.

"I do." The Sparrow watched as the Tiger contemplated his cards. "Everything on the other side of the bridge is currently going well, but I'm going to need to assign a new messenger."

"What happened to the previous one?"

Two black threes and the four of spades were placed in the center.

"The yakuza led by Shiki shot and captured him."

The boss paused in the middle of placing three cards down and turned to the Sparrow. "What happened?"

Two red fours and a red five.

"He was careless and allowed that shrimp Orihara to find out about the meeting. Naturally, the informant told Shiki, who laid an ambush for us at the bridge."

The four of clubs and two black fives were played.

"I see. That is most unfortunate."

A silence fell upon the four and lasted until it was the Sparrow's turn again. He placed two black sevens and two black eights down and spoke to the silver-haired man again.

"What do you want to do, boss?"

"Hmm?"

"About Orihara. How do you intend to deal with him?"

A red eight, two red nines, and a red jack.

The boss remained silent for a while, moving only to put down a few cards during his turn. None of the other three made any movement to hurry their boss along, knowing that the boss' answer would be more desirable if he was allowed to take his time.

"Cobra-chan." The only female looked up at her leader over her cards. "Where did you say Orihara is hiding?"

"Shinjuku."

"You saw him in Ikebukuro earlier today though."

"Yes."

"What was he doing?"

"Meeting with Shiki and fighting with Heiwajima."

The silver-haired man nodded to himself. "I see, I see."

"Should we continue our administrations from several years ago?" The Sparrow raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Not yet." The boss leaned back in his seat. "Cobra-chan, do you mind doing me a favor?"

"I've already said that I want no part in this." The Cobra glared at the silver-haired man from over her cards.

"Oh, I promise I won't force you to participate in taking care of Orihara." The boss smiled reassuringly. "I just want you to tail Orihara for a few days and report back on what he does."

"Please wait a moment, sir." The Sparrow cut in politely. "I thought that it was the Sparrows' job to spy and track people."

"That's true, but Cobra-chan is the best assassin in our syndicate. In fact, did you know that her skills are currently ranked number one in Japan? Therefore, she will be least likely to be noticed by Orihara. Do you get my drift?"

"Yes, sir. My apologies."

The man waved off his subordinate's apology and refocused his attention on the person across from him. "Well, Cobra-chan? Will you do it?"

"If I said no, you'd make me do it anyway." The Cobra sifted through the cards in her hands, plucked out two, and threw them on the center pile before getting up and stalking to the doorway. The boss sighed and sat back again, tossing his hand of cards down.

"What makes you say that?"

The Cobra stopped just outside the room and glared back at the boss. "I'm an interrogator, and it is my job to read my targets' intentions even before they realize it themselves."

The silver-haired man chuckled proudly. "Spoken like a true assassin and interrogator. Also, before I forget, you'll need to come up with a fake identity for your task. It's just a precaution, in case you have to speak with Orihara."

The Cobra stood there, waiting with a hint of impatience in her jade green eyes.

"Ah, I know!" The boss clapped his hands together triumphantly and pointed a slender finger at the Cobra. "While on this mission, you shall be known as Shiori. How does that sound?"

"Wonderful." The Cobra's answer was sarcastic, and without further ado, she stalked away, disappearing down the hall.

Once the echo of a door slamming faded away, the Tiger spoke up for the first time that night. "Boss." His baritone rumbled deep in his chest. "Cobra's rudeness. Why ignore?"

"Well, Zimmerman, there are some habits that you just can't break out of." The boss rubbed his face tiredly. "Besides, as long as she obeys her orders, I don't care how she speaks or acts."

"You don't want to mess with the Cobra." The Sparrow leader smirked and leaned forward. "She's the youngest and cruelest leader this syndicate has ever had. And her knives never miss their mark."

"True, Toki, true." The leaders' boss nodded absentmindedly and stared at the two black aces that the Cobra had played before her exit.

"Well, gentlemen, since Cobra-chan has ended the game, we are through for the day. Return to your stations and await further orders."

As the Sparrow and the Tiger were leaving, the silver-haired man called to them again.

"Remember to take this war seriously. Orihara will be taken down without fail. I will not be defeated because I am the Virus, and the Virus does not lose."

* * *

**Ana: I try my best. ^_^**

**Inky: Ah, thank you, but I actually came across it by accident when I was sifting through Shizaya doujinshi on YouTube. You were right; it was garbage, not blood, but I really did only get a short glimpse of the excerpt and I couldn't find it again when I went back to look for it, so…oops? Oh, well. I don't think it's that big a deal. Thanks again!**

**Midnight: Like I stated in my reply to Inky-san, I found the doujinshi, but thanks for trying to help. I truly appreciate your support!**

**Shirohimes - Shizaya-story: Thanks! I'm glad you look forward to the updates.**


	5. Lion and Cobra

_Nearly didn't make this update! Sorry I missed last Sunday, it was finals week at my school~_

_This chapter is a little different since the first part of it takes place in the past. There will be a few more chapters like this one in the future, and I'll let you know which ones with a little author's note at the top~_

_~FR242_

* * *

**[Acquaintance]**

_Chapter 5: Lion and Cobra_

Shizuo laid his head down on his desk, not bothering to listen to the teacher's lecture. Even if he paid attention, he probably wouldn't understand what his teacher was talking about anyway. Shinra would probably explain it to him later. Shizuo always understood his friend's explanations better.

Shizuo transferred his gaze outside when some movement flickered in the corner of his eyes. He wasn't surprised when he saw someone very familiar walking across the railing on the roof.

As he stared, the other person looked his way and smirked, offering a cheeky wave. Shizuo glared back, trying to tell the other to get down from there before he fell and broke his neck or something.

As expected, Izaya didn't obey, even going so far as to take a few more steps. His smirk grew wider when he noticed that he had Shizuo's undivided attention.

Suddenly, Izaya's foot slipped, and Shizuo's heart lurched. The stupid flea was about to fall off the railing.

"Izaya!" Shizuo shot up from his seat and pressed his hands to the window, startling the rest of the class. He watched with wide eyes as the black-haired teen teetered on the edge of the railing, arms waving through the air as he struggled to regain his balance.

Then, Izaya easily swung himself back, landing safely on the roof of the school. From where Shizuo stood, he could clearly see the flea laughing. The blond-haired man realized that he had been tricked.

A snarl rumbled in Shizuo's chest as he glared at the snickering Izaya. That was not funny. How dare the flea tease him like that!

"Shizuo? Is something wrong?" Shinra's inquiry brought Shizuo back to the classroom, and the blond noticed that everyone was watching him, apprehension and curiosity in their eyes. Shizuo grunted and sat back down.

"I'm fine." He turned his head away from Izaya, who would undoubtedly tease the Heiwajima if Shizuo looked at him right now.

No one questioned Shizuo's outburst, fearing that the short-tempered man would try to throw someone out the window. For the rest of the class, Shizuo brooded in silence, waiting for the bell to ring so he could go and beat up Izaya for scaring him like that.

When school finally ended, Shinra took Shizuo's things, knowing that the man wanted to go hunt down Izaya and offering to drop Shizuo's bag off at his house. Shizuo muttered his thanks and left.

He wasn't surprised when he ran into the flea almost immediately. Izaya had been leaning against the wall near the main entrance of the school as though he had been waiting for Shizuo to come find him. As soon as he saw the blond, Izaya's always-present smirk widened and he approached the furious Shizuo.

"Ne, Shizu-chan, what happened back there?" Izaya watched Shizuo's eyes narrow with satisfaction. "You looked really worried for some reason. Care to explain?"

"Flea." Shizuo's voice was a low growl. "Why did you pull that stunt?"

Izaya faked ignorance. "I'm afraid I don't know what Shizu-chan means."

"Don't play innocent with me! You acted as though you were going to fall to your death."

Izaya gave him a sly look from underneath dark lashes. "Shizu-chan, were you worried about me?"

Shizuo replied by attempting to punch Izaya. The smaller man dodged to the side and dashed out of the school, Shizuo hot on his heels.

People screamed and scrambled out of the way as the two of them dashed through the streets of Ikebukuro. Izaya wreaved through the streets expertly, having memorized the location of almost all of the obstacles and deftly avoiding them. Shizuo followed close behind, yelling at the top of his lungs.

"Stop running so I can kill you, stupid flea!"

"Why would I stop if you're going to kill me, Shizu-chan!" Izaya laughed as he vaulted over a bench.

Shizuo reached the bench and tore it up from the ground with minimal effort. With a roar, he lifted it above his head and hurled it at Izaya with all his might. The raven-haired man ducked to the side, and the bench sailed over his head and landed on the ground with a crash.

"Shizu-chan, you're destroying public property again~!" Izaya spoke in a singsong voice just to annoy Shizuo. Like all the times in the past, it worked.

"I–za–ya–kun!" Shizuo picked up a potted plant as easily as though it was a toothpick and threw it. Izaya dodged and the pot smashed against the stone road.

Izaya started running again, ducking into a series of alleyways. Shizuo tried to follow, but he quickly lost sight of Izaya. The man with monstrous strength growled in frustration as he wandered the maze a little longer. When his search proved fruitless, Shizuo was forced to turn back, shoulders slumped in disappointment.

Suddenly, a shadow appeared and a weight dropped down on him, making him stumble slightly. A pair of arms wrapped themselves around Shizuo's shoulders so that Shizuo was practically carrying the person.

Izaya placed his chin on Shizuo's shoulder, tilting his head so that he could see the blond's face. "Sorry, Shizu-chan."

Shizuo glanced at the smaller man form the corners of his eyes and sighed resignedly. "Stupid flea."

Izaya laughed and slid down from his place on Shizuo's back. "Shizu-chan always uses the same insults."

"Shut up." Shizuo walked out of the alley with Izaya skipping next to him.

"Ne, Shizu-chan. You really should go up onto the roof with me. We could hang out there for the entire day!" Izaya grinned, hope shining in his eyes.

Shizuo hummed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Maybe."

Izaya sighed as he balanced his way across a bicycle rack. "You always say that."

Seeing a disappointed Izaya made Shizuo's heart twist a little with guilt. Hesitantly, Shizuo reached out and tugged on Izaya's sleeve. "Hey, do you want to get some ootoro?"

Izaya brightened immediately. "Yes!" He leapt down from the bike rack and took off down the street towards Russian Sushi. "Race you there, Shizu-chan!"

"You're on, flea." Shizuo chased after the other, but Izaya was faster so Shizuo always stayed a pace or two behind.

At the last moment, Shizuo gave a burst of speed and managed to catch up to Izaya, so the two skidded into Russian Sushi neck-to-neck, laughing.

**~Acquaintance~**

Shizuo and his employer, Tanaka Tom, walked past Russian Sushi. Simon Brezhnev waved at them from the entrance, a stack of coupons in his hands. "Shizuo! Tom-san!"

"Hello, Simon." Tom stopped next to the dark-skinned Russian and smiled. Shizuo halted too, taking another puff from the cigarette between his lips.

Simon brandished a couple coupons in front of the duo. "Eat sushi! Sushi good! No human meat."

Out of politeness, Tom accepted the coupons. He handed one to Shizuo, who stuffed it into his pocket and carried on smoking. The two sides waved goodbye, and Shizuo and Tom carried on with their job, which was going around collecting debts from people. Well, Tom did the collecting. Shizuo was supposed to protect Tom from any clients that happened to get violent. He was a bodyguard.

So far, no client had been complacent. They all insisted on being difficult, begging for more time or trying to attack Tom so they could escape their debt. Unfortunately for the clients, Shizuo wasn't a patient man, so more often than not, the clients were sent flying through the air.

This client would be no different. When Tom and Shizuo arrived at the client's home, there was no one in the house, and it looked like no one had been home for a while. If it wasn't for Shizuo spotting the client slinking away through the back door, Tom might have decided that the client had successfully escaped and stopped pursuing the debt.

Now, Shizuo was chasing the client through the streets of Ikebukuro with Tom following close behind. The bodyguard let out a roar of rage as the client skidded around a corner. "Come back here and pay the stupid debt!"

Shizuo turned the corner and nearly tripped over the client, who was sitting on the ground with a look of fear on his face. The former-bartender's rage simmered down just enough to make him wonder why the guy wasn't running anymore.

Looking up, Shizuo saw that they were in front of a CD store. Standing in front of the display window was a young woman who looked about twenty years old. She had red hair; her bangs reached her chin and were parted to the right. The rest of her hair was tied in a loose ponytail and was draped over her left shoulder. Her green eyes were half-lidded as she gazed at the CDs behind the display glass.

Her clothes were rather strange for someone in Ikebukuro. She wore dark pants with the ends tucked into knee-high black boots. A black, unbuttoned trench coat was draped over a red V-neck vest. A white dress shirt peeked out from underneath the vest, and a black tie hung from the collar.

There wasn't really anything scary about the woman, yet the man Shizuo had been pursuing was shaking and stuttering, "Y-You-You…!"

The woman turned and pinned the man with a sharp gaze, looking at him in confusion and annoyance. "Do I know you?"

Her no-nonsense tone seemed to revive the man's ability to speak. "I-I'm sorry!" He screamed in panic. "I really didn't mean to get in his way!"

"What's wrong with him?" Tom whispered as he and Shizuo watched the scene unfold. Shizuo shrugged, adjusting his blue sunglasses.

The woman's expression changed to one of indifference. "Look, I would appreciate it if you would stop wasting my time babbling things I don't understand. Are you okay?" From her tone, Shizuo doubted that she even cared.

She took a step forward and the man immediately shot up from his sitting position and tried to make a run for it. He didn't make it very far when Shizuo snatched him up by the back of his shirt. The poor man's limbs flailed wildly in midair.

"Where do you think you're going, huh?" Shizuo glared at the man threateningly. "Pay up your debt."

Tom calmly stood back from the blond, seeing as Shizuo was liable to explode at any second. The rest of the crowd followed the debt collector's example, clearing a large space around the tall man in the bartender suit. The only person who didn't move was the red-haired woman, who stood her ground and watched Shizuo curiously.

Meanwhile, the client begged for his freedom. "P-Please, I'll pay you back. Just keep her away from me!"

Shizuo gnashed his teeth together. "What kind of man are you? Stop shaking like a weakling and stand properly!" His anger reaching its peak, Shizuo drew his arm back and threw the man far, far away. It wasn't until the man's screaming had completely faded before Shizuo pulled out another cigarette and lit it up.

"Well, there goes my chance of finding out what he was talking about."

Shizuo turned to see the redhead peering through the sky in the direction that the man disappeared in. The bodyguard was surprised to see that she hadn't fled from him like almost everyone else. There wasn't a trace of fear on her face, only boredom.

"With strength like that, you must be Heiwajima Shizuo." She turned her bold gaze to him, looking at him directly in the eyes.

"Do you have an issue with that?" Shizuo asked a little belligerently, uncomfortable with being scrutinized so meticulously.

"Nope." She turned away, going back to looking at the CDs behind the display glass. Tom approached her cautiously.

"What was that guy shouting about?"

The woman shrugged. "No idea. Never seen him before." She glanced at Tom. "I'm guessing that he tried to get out of paying a debt."

Tom nodded, and she scoffed derisively. "He deserved being thrown through the air then." The woman raised a gloved hand and ran her fingers through her bangs. "Stupid coward."

Tom laughed nervously. The woman's slightly-crass manner of speaking clearly unsettled him somewhat. "Yeah, people are like that in Ikebukuro. Do you live here?"

"No, but I like coming here for fun." The woman turned away from the CDs and faced the two men. "Interesting things happen." She looked at the sky, which was turning pink from the setting sun. "I should be going now. I prefer to stay away from the gang members who come out at night."

"Would you like an escort?" Tom looked at Shizuo, who merely took another puff from his cigarette. "Shizuo and I don't have any more debts to collect today."

"Thanks, but there's no need." The woman waved a hand. "I can make it home myself." She started walking off in the direction of Shinjuku, bidding Tom and Shizuo farewell. Shizuo inhaled another breath from his cigarette and called out to the retreating redhead.

"Hey."

She halted and half-turned, fixing the blond man with an inquiring look.

"What's your name?"

The woman paused for a moment, looking as though she was contemplating her answer. After several seconds of silence, she answered his question. "Shiori." With that, Shiori gave them a final nod and disappeared into the crowd of people walking through the streets of Ikebukuro.

Shizuo was glad that Shiori wasn't afraid of him. So many people were too consumed by fear to even try to speak to him, and Shizuo grew up expecting people to flee at the sight of him. However, Shiori communicated with him without restraint, and Shizuo must admit: it was rather refreshing.

* * *

_"Shiori" speaks differently from a typical Japanese female. Instead of 'watashi,' she uses 'boku,' which is usually reserved for teenage boys. You could say that she talks like a man._


	6. Author's Note

_FR242 here._

_Thank you all for the support you've given me with **Acquaintance **so far!_

_However, I feel like this story isn't going right. You know, that feeling where no matter what you try, you just aren't satisfied with how the story turned out. It's how I feel with **Acquaintance **right now. I'm not satisfied with how the story has turned out._

_Therefore, this story will be put on hiatus for a while. I have another Durarara! fanfiction that I'm interested in. It's called **Black Wings Rising** and should be published soon. I hope you'll take some time to look at it._

_I'm glad to be able to write stories for you all, and I hope you continue to support me while I'm an author at this website._

_~FR242~_


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